Fans of the Ravens men’s hockey team might be familiar with the sound of a pipe organ filling the Ice House with tunes during games, but most do not know the face behind the music. Third-year Carleton student Spencer Scharf, a music performance student, has been playing the organ at Ravens hockey games since 2014.
The dean of the music department gave Scharf the chance to play at home games after listening to Scharf play the organ “by ear.”
He said he can read sheet music, but prefers to play music based on memory at hockey games.
During one game, Scharf played the theme to the 1999 science fiction comedy film Galaxy Quest. It might seem like a random song during a hockey game, but Scharf said he picks every song carefully to match the moment.
“Part of being the organist at the games is watching to see what’s going on at the game so I can choose a tune on the spot that’s perfect for what’s going on,” he said. “Since the goalie made a nice save, it’s kind of triumphant sounding, triumph for the Ravens.”
When a fight breaks out on the ice, Scharf said he’ll play something such as “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” but if the Ravens are winning, he’ll play “I’ve Gotta Feeling” to spread “positive energy” and boost morale for the home team and the crowd.
Even though Scharf enjoys playing music for the hockey team, he said he’s not as big of a fan of sports.
“I don’t closely watch it, but I like the Ravens hockey games. They’re very entertaining,” he said. “I tried hockey when I was younger, but I like the music better.”
Scharf said he has played the organ for about six years.
He’s also played the organ at more than just hockey games; for instance, he played at a local retirement home. He also sings and plays several other instruments, including guitar, banjo, ukulele, piano, mandolin, and harmonica.
“When I was about two years old, my maternal grandparents got me a little Yamaha keyboard, and soon after I was doing little jingles like ‘Three Blind Mice,’ ” he said.
Since then, he’s played in a rock band, and now plays as a solo act on Bluesfest and FolkFest stages. He said he’s been playing at both events for about five years, after the executive director of Bluesfest approached him while he was performing solo at the Glebe Community Centre.
“I want to perform in front of as many people as possible, whether that’s on the main stage of the festivals, the NAC [National Arts Centre], or Massey Hall,” Scharf said.
For now Scharf will return to play at Ravens hockey games for the 2016-17 season.
